Let's hear it for the girls.

Four years ago, Union High's girls basketball team had a 1-19 record, but now everyone is beaming with pride as the Lady Cats are 16-1 after beating Carbon in Price on Jan. 26 and crushing American Leadership Academy in Roosevelt on Tuesday.

Union started the season 13-0 with wins over Duchesne, Salem Hills, Stansbury, South Summit, Uintah, Maeser Prep, Altamont, Grantsville, American Leadership Academy, North Sanpete, Evanston, Juan Diego and North Summit before losing to Wasatch 41-40 on Jan. 19 in Roosevelt. Union is currently second in Region 10.

Sarah John was a starter as a freshman on the one-win Union varsity team in the 2006-07 season.

“Our team this year has better chemistry and we know how each other plays plus we trust each other, “ said John, the starting point guard.

Brianna Nielsen played mostly on freshman and sophomore teams in the '06-'07 season for Union, but has been a varsity starter the past few years.

“We have been together for three years and we know our teammates' strengths and weaknesses,” she said.

In the lone loss vs. Wasatch, Union outscored its opponent 14-5 in the fourth quarter, but came up short by one point.

Cougar Coach Keith Morris wasn't depressed over the loss to the Wasps.

“I told them I was proud of their effort — especially in the fourth quarter where we outscored Wasatch. We talked in the locker room about learning something whether we win or lose. We lost a game and not the season. We have a lot of basketball to be played,” he said.

Union went from 1-19 in 2006-07 to a 5-17 record in 2007-08. Last year, the Lady Cats were 14-7, winning eight games in a row in one stretch.

“Experience has helped a lot, and sticking to and playing as a team. Putting all of that together has given us confidence,” Coach Morris said. “We definitely have tried to shift to more 'man' defense and less zone. Man-to-man is more difficult to play against. We have played 98 percent 'man' this year.”

In the Wasatch loss, Katie Richens — who so far this season is the team's leading scorer —scored only four points in the first three quarters and then pumped in nine points in the fourth quarter (one three-pointer, two 2-pointers and two free throws).

“Wasatch got me off my game in the first three quarters. I tried to be aggressive and get to the line in the fourth quarter. We let the game come to us. We just got out there and played our game,” Richens said.

Alexis Benson saw a little varsity action as a freshman in the 2006-07 season.

“After the loss to Wasatch, Coach Morris told us to come out and play hard (they beat Park City in the next game 81-40). We will get them (Wasatch) the next time we play them,” Benson said. “We did our best, but couldn't quite get them.”

Majen Mansfield, a 5-9 Cougar, plays in the middle for the Lady Cats.

“I love having a team that competes well together and knows how to play the game,” said Mansfield.

A senior, Meadow Simkins is new to the Union team. She played last year for Altamont High, a 1A school. Her father is now an assistant principal at Union.

“It is different, but a good difference. There is more competition and ability,” said Simkins. “I loved playing for Altamont, but now I'm at Union going against stronger 3A teams.”

Richens leads Union in scoring after 15 games at 16.6 points per game. She also tops the Cats in rebounds at 4.4 per game and with 3.6 steals. John is No. 1 in assists at four per game. Richens is averaging 1.7 assists.

Average per-game statistics for other players are: Nielsen – points12.8, rebounds 2.4, steals 2.5, assists 1.0; Benson – points 7.3, rebounds 3.5, steals 1.9, assists 1.2; John – points 8.1, rebounds 4.0, steals 3.5, assists 4.0; Simkins – points 3.7, rebounds 4.2; steals 1.3; Mansfield – points 3.9; rebounds 3.8, steals 1.0, assists 1.3.

Other stats for Union's girls team are available on the MaxPrep Web site.